March 28, 2023 By Marisa Olsen
Meet Courtney Doyle, mother, Hingham resident, and entrepreneur behind the scratch-made home delivery and catering service Clandestine Kitchen.
Clandestine Kitchen (CK) offers a bevy of creative meal options from weekly, rotational, and seasonal à la carte items, to Thursday family dinners and dessert, to weekday lunch service at home or the office, and a new kids’ menu to boot. Additionally, Clandestine Kitchen frequently curates holiday and special events meals, including Easter and Après Ski bundles, which are thoughtful and delicious, so you can enjoy scratch-made food delivered without ever leaving your home.
Doyle and her team created the new CK Kids’ Menu and Thursday Family Dinner service to appeal to everyone at the table. The Family Dinner menus are always delivered on Thursdays, to ensure that clients can receive Clandestine Kitchen twice a week if they would like to have even more time off from the kitchen to focus on their family.
Courtney shares, “We are woman-owned and operated business, and have just under 25 employees, counting our team of marketing, social media, and photography contractors. I have three teenagers (HMS and HHS) and it is a passion project of mine to create incredible, healthy, family dinner meals and kids’ menu items to encourage families to eat together. My hope is to help facilitate families to enjoy healthy food without the stress on anyone to find it or make it, allowing for more time to focus on other important things outside of the kitchen.”
Clandestine Kitchen is a farm-to-table scratch kitchen that utilizes organic products and sources from local farms and purveyors whenever possible. The team regularly features partnership menu items and special pop-up deliveries with other local businesses. Hingham partnerships have included Maguires Mushrooms, Salty Days Fish Co, Barre By Jenn at Derby Street, and CK frequently caters for Hingham downtown shops including Doublemint Home, Assembly, kloTH, and more. Cohasset partners include Alecco Bakery, Holly Hill Farm, and Anchor & Sail.
Doyle’s business grew organically, so-to-speak. Reflecting back, Courtney shares “I started in 2017 with one client in my home in Hingham. We now have over 500 clients on the South Shore (and Milton) and operate out of our 2700 square foot custom kitchen and office in Kingston. We offer home meal delivery, corporate meal delivery featuring a new Tuesday lunch offering, and our Private Chef Services and Catering that has been growing exponentially over the past three years. We are already looking forward to a very busy spring and summer season.”
Doyle is passionate about CK’s weekly home delivery menus – her team of chefs has over 100 years of experience combined and many have worked with famous Boston chefs in both fine dining and catering venues/kitchens. The home delivery menu with the new CK Kids option is delivered Monday through Wednesday to most South Shore towns–delivery day is based on location. CK recently added Milton to the delivery schedule and plans on expanding to additional Metro West locations and Boston neighborhoods as the year progresses.
When you’re ready to order, simply visit Clandestine Kitchen, and click on either Weekly Home Delivery, CK Family Dinners, or New Weekday Lunch. Be sure to check out the “Flash Pop Up” menus every Thursday (very limited offering from the CK test kitchen every week) and special holiday delivery offerings. Each of the six boxes on the homepage will direct you to those specific menus.
The options are endless and it’s fun to peruse the new menus each week. When selecting your meals, simply go to the desired menu, and add meal items to your cart. Customers will immediately notice plenty of dietary allergens listed as well as gluten-free items and vegetarian meals. If you have additional nutritional requirements, the CK team is happy to make adjustments upon request.
Once your order is complete, you’ll receive a confirmation email and another email when your delivery has arrived.
All of the packaging and containers are made from recyclable materials, and CK is working on a container collection program that they hope to launch this spring for CK Loyalty Program clients. CK also collects the reusable bags and ice packs, and sanitizes them for reuse. Additionally, CK operates a nearly zero-waste kitchen with their pre-order delivery model.
On the day of my delivery, I was so excited to see the CK van arrive in my driveway with the signature teal tote bags. Each meal is individually packaged and labeled with detailed ingredients, including allergens, and heating instructions.
I was fortunate to taste and sample a wide array of a weekly menu. My tasting panel included myself, my husband, and my two children, ages six and four. Here’s what we got to sample:
For Monday/Tuesday delivery:
CK Blackened Scallops with Sweet Corn + Bacon Risotto ($24) – This dish was a very generous portion for one and featured tons of textures and well-balanced flavors. I wasn’t sure how scallops and risotto would reheat without losing the integrity of the delicate scallops, but it definitely delivered, and turned out to be quite the gourmet entrée. The dish centered around five seared scallops that were plump and juicy with just enough spice from the blackened seasoning. To reheat, I simply added 1-2 tablespoons of water to a skillet over medium heat, and heated up the scallops for a few minutes. The bacon risotto heated up nicely as well, filled with charred bits of sweet corn kernels that popped in your mouth alongside broccoli crowns. The sweet and jammy acidity of the tomato jam and the drizzle of basil oil at the end added extra depth and balance to the heat of the dish. My husband was very impressed with this meal as well.
CK Thai Red Curry with Chicken ($19) – A very comforting dish, with intoxicating coconut red curry and ginger flavors. The chicken was tender and paired well with a bounty of al dente carrots, zucchini, spinach, and rainbow peppers, in a fragrant curry sauce with a hint of heat. The curry was accompanied by fluffy jasmine. There was a vegetarian option for this dish as well.
CK Sweet Potato + Black Bean Tacos ($17) – I loved the setup of the sweet potatoes, black beans, and Brussels sprouts with the rainbow slaw, piquant chimichurri, and a homemade pico salsa with corn. It was a happy cacophony of flavors, textures, and colors, and full of nutrient-rich foods.
CK Greek Style Flatbread ($14) – A healthful take on an approachable flatbread. We enjoyed the variety of vegetables, briny olives, salty feta, and heat from the pepperoncini. This made a lovely lunch.
CK Chicken Noodle Soup for 2 ($22) – This soup is like chicken soup for the soul and reminiscent of what grandma would make with plenty of hunks of chicken, onions, celery, carrots, and aromatics. It was nourishing and healing; perfect for a chilly or rainy day.
CK Almond Joy Overnight Oats ($9) – My children gobbled up the oats at breakfast. The overnight oats held their composure without being overly soggy, and we all enjoyed the crunch of the coconut and carob chips. And with no added sugar, we felt nourished and satiated despite feeling like we were eating Almond Joy flavored oats.
CK Caffe Mocha Energy Bites ($10) – These were delicious and tasted completely decadent, yet composed of natural ingredients, such as gluten-free oats, Medjool dates, dairy-free carob chips, chia seed, almond butter, and touches of coffee and local sea salt, without any added sugar. I could have snacked on these all day, and they paired excellently with an espresso during my afternoon slump.
Kids’ Menu:
CK Orange Chicken ($14) – A real crowd pleaser. The chicken was gluten-free and baked with an all-natural homemade orange sauce, and served with fluffy jasmine rice. A healthy version of a take-out favorite. The chicken was cooked perfectly; I just wished I had more sauce. Everyone in our family enjoyed the dish, and my six year old had thirds.
Eastern Standard Belgian Waffles with Homemade Cinnamon-Maple Syrup ($12) – Our family loves anything behind Eastern Standard Provisions and these Belgian liege waffles were a hit. They were sweet and the perfect vehicle for the homemade cinnamon maple syrup.
CK “Pigs in a Blanket” ($14) – These snacks are a healthier take on your traditional appetizer that feature nitrate-free hot dogs in a light pastry crust with homemade honey mustard dipping sauce. Our whole family liked the juicy hot dog wrapped in a flakey pastry. While my kids preferred ketchup to use as a dip, my husband and I appreciated the tangy honey mustard. My son ended up crying because he wanted more.
Thursdays Family Dinners:
Healthy Take Out Family Meal for 2 – Lo Mein ($45) – We enjoyed this lighter version of Lo Mein that was filled with colorful vegetables and a generous side of grass-fed flank steak and all-natural chicken satay served with a peanut satay sauce. Warning, the satay and the sauces are highly addictive. The chicken was tender and the beef developed a caramelized char. A lovely version of Asian comfort food.
Homemade Chicken Enchilada Family Meal for 2 – What a hefty and delicious dinner. The entrée featured all-natural, antibiotic-free chicken enchiladas served in an organic corn tortilla alongside housemade salsa verde and salsa roja and a side of rice and beans. Bright flavors without too much heat. We had plenty of leftovers, too.
Chef Kira’s Birthday Cake Donuts 4-pack ($15) – Indulgent family-friendly birthday cake donuts created by Executive Chef Kira Chipman. Need we say more?
After my week of scratch-made meals, I feel healthy and satiated. With generous portions, nutrient-dense ingredients–and knowing my food is made locally by a woman-led business–my family and I are excited to order from CK again.
And, if you’re hooked on CK, you may join the CK Loyalty Program for complimentary delivery, special gifts, and more.